Anti-fracking groups heading to Albany for rally

ALBANY -- Opponents of the natural gas drilling method known as fracking are heading to Albany for a rally outside the state Capitol.

Organizers say they expect thousands of people from across New York to attend Monday afternoon's rally being held in a park outside the Capitol.

They'll be urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo to ban hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in New York and to take the lead on renewable energy.

Energy industry officials want Cuomo to end New York's five-year moratorium on shale gas development and allow drilling in much of the state's Southern Tier. Opponents of fracking want him to make the moratorium permanent, saying fracking will harm the environment.

A decision from Cuomo on the issue is on hold while the state continues to study fracking's potential impact.